Danica Patrick The first woman to win an IndyCar race (the 2008 Indy Japan 300) is expected to announce today that she will drive for a NASCAR team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Born and raised in the Midwest, Patrick began racing go-karts at the age of 10, dropped out of high school to race professionally full time, and was once on the team co-owned by "Late Show" host David Letterman.